BBC cleared over 'offensive' Catherine Tate

Image 1 of 2

Foul-mouthed Nan launches torrents of abuse

Image 1 of 2

Gay and proud: the Northern Irish family

By Katherine O'Shea and agencies

12:01AM BST 14 Apr 2008

A Christmas Day episode of Catherine Tate's comedy sketch show featuring a foul-mouthed Nan and a Northern Ireland family exchanging gifts of terrorist paraphernalia did not breach standards, a TV watchdog ruled today.

Ofcom received 42 complaints about The Catherine Tate Christmas Show, broadcast last year at 10.30pm on BBC1.

Some complaints related to the character of Nan, who unleashes a stream of bad language once people's backs are turned. Other sketches featured a family from Northern Ireland who had discovered that their son was gay and were going to great lengths to ensure that the community knew they were happy with his sexuality.

Complainants objected to what they considered to be a stereotypical view of a family from Northern Ireland - seen exchanging Christmas gifts such as a balaclavas and a knuckle-duster. But they also gave their son a present of a chocolate penis, Ofcom noted.

The episode also featured promiscuous auxiliary nurse Bernie, who attempted to seduce guest star George Michael.

Related Articles

Ofcom asked the BBC to respond to complaints that the material was offensive.

The BBC pointed out that the general tone of the programme is very well-recognised, with some characters having become iconic.

In 2006 the then Prime Minister, Tony Blair, agreed to take part in a sketch for Comic Relief, in which he claimed to be "not bovvered" by the character Lauren.

Addressing complaints about language on Christmas Day, the BBC said that it does not regard any word as being more obscene on one day than on another, and not everything broadcast on Christmas Day should reflect its character as a religious festival.

Regarding the family from Northern Ireland, the BBC argued that given the degree of exaggeration they could not reasonably have been interpreted as stereotyping any community.

It continued that all Catherine Tate's characters are extreme, but not representative - not all elderly women swear like Nan, not all teenagers are as rude as Lauren, or all nurses as incompetent and promiscuous as Bernie.

Ofcom agreed that any possible offence was justified by the context, saying:

"Comedy has a long tradition of engaging with challenging subjects and confronting taboos.

"While it is appreciated that sensitivities still remain in Northern Ireland, comedy, especially satirical comedy, frequently explores the darker side of humanity.

"In our view, this was the effect achieved by this sequence of sketches and consequently they were not in breach of the Code."